Spindle brake



Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPINDLE BRAKE Otto W. Schlums, Whitinsville, Mass assignor to Whitin Machine Works, Whltinsvllle, Mesa, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 6,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a brake for stopping the rotation of a spindle in a machine for spinning or twisting yarn.

Such spindles are commonly provided with small flanged pulleys or whorls, and ,a plurality of associated spindles are driven by a flat cotton tape. It is frequently necessary for the operator to stop a selected spindle in order to piece a broken end or for some other purpose which requires the use of both hands. It has been common to provide a knee brake for each spindle, but in modern-double or 3-bank spinning or twisting frames, the upper spindles are too high and the'lower spindles are too low to 'be conveniently knee-operated.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved brake which is manually controlled but which will automatically maintain braking pressure as long as the operator desires.

Another object is to provide an improved spindle brake which will apply and maintain a uniform and predetermined braking force.

A still further object is to provide a braking attachment which is a separate self-contained unit, which may be conveniently applied to existing spinning or twisting frames.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter-described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. a

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly'in section, Showing my invention mounted in a spinning or twisting frame; a

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, and taken along the irregular line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of a modified construction;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in braking position;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4; Y

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, showing certain parts in a different position; and v Fig. 7 is a detail plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 1 in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing-s,-I,have shown a spindle rail 'lil forming part of a spinning or twisting machine and having a plurality of spindles S rotatably mounted thereon. Each spindle comprises a spindle blade i2 rotatable in a bolster i3 loosely mounted in a spindle base II which has a portion l5 extending downward through the rail i0 and secured therein by a heavy spring 1939, Serial No. 259,95

II and clamping nut ll. The blade i2 is provided with a whorl 20 having flanges 2| and 22 and adapted to .be engaged and rotated by the usual driving tape, not shown.

' The parts thus far described are of the usual 5 construction and in themselves form no part of my present invention.

My improved spindle brake comprises a standwhich may be secured to the rear side of the spindle rail llby a clamping bolt 3| extending .10 through a slot 32 (Fig. 5). The stand 30 also has a projection at its upper end which provides a shoulder 33 (Fig. 1) adapted to engage the upper face of the rail l0 and thus definitely locate the stand 30 vertically. 16

A post 351s fixed in the upper side of the stand 30, and a cross bar 36 is pivotally mounted at the top of the post and supports a leather pad 31 in position toengage the upper face of the flange 22 of the whorl 20 if the blade and whorl 20 are slightly raised.

A keeper I8 is pivoted at 39 on the cross bar 36 and normally falls down and embraces a noncircular portion 40 of the post 35 when the arm 36 and pad 31 are in operative position. If it 25 is desired to remove the blade 12 and whorl 20 from the machine, the keeper 38 is raised and the arm 38 is swung sideways about its pi-vot stud 4|.

A spring plate (Flg. 1) is pivoted at 5| on a rearward extension 52 of the stand 30 and is 30 provided with forked ends 53 (Fig. 2) which embrace the spindle base and present leather pads 54 under the flange 22 of the whorl 20. These pads are normally. spaced below the flange as shown in Fig. 1. through an opening 55 in the plate 50.

The spring plate 50 is pivotally connected by a double link to an upstanding arm 6| on a bell crank lever 62. The lever 62 is pivoted at 63 to downwardly and rearwardly extending arms 64 forming part0! the stand". The link 60 is pivoted tothe spring plate at 65 and to the bell crank at 68. An arin 58 extends forward from the bell crank 82 and isprovided with a handle portion 59 by which it may be conveniently 45 operated. I

The lower end of the link is provided with a projection I0 (Fig. 4).which engages a rear. surface 1l on the bell crank 62 and forms a stop to limit downward movement of the handle arm 50 68 and spring plate 50. Upward movement of the handle arm I! is limited by engagement of an offset portion '3 (Fig.4) of the arm 68 by one of the depending arms 8| of the stand 30.

'I'helparts are shown in nonnaior inoperative 66 The post 35 extends freely 35 position in Fig. 1. If it is desired to stop the spindle, the operator grasps the handle 6! and,

the toggle formed by the bell crank and the link 60, thus forcing the upper link pivot 65 upward and raising the spring plate so that the pads 54 v will engage the under side of theflange 22 and force the spindle blade and whorl upward against the fixed pad 31.

Further movement of the bell crank 68 places the spring plate under tension as indicated in an exaggerated manner in Fig. 4 and carries the pivot 66 beyond the center line joining the pivots 63 and 65. At this point, further movement of the bell crank is stopped by engagement of the offset shoulder 13 and the arm 64, and the parts will remain indefinitely in this position, with the spring plate 50 under tension.

The operator is thus free to use both hands for piecing a broken end or for other purposes and the spindle will be held from rotation as long as desired. The operator then returns the arm 68 to normal lowered position and the spindle is thereby rendered free to rotate.

It will be noted that the entire braking device forms a self-contained and separate unit, which may be attached to an existing spinning or twisting frame by the single clamping bolt 3|.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the post is omitted and the fixed pad 80 is mounted on an arm 8|, pivotally secured by a stud 82 at the top of the oiling projection 83 formed at the edge of the spindle base 8.4. The operation is identical with the construction previously described, but diifers therefrom in providing the fixed pad 80 as a part of the spindle structure, rather than as a part of a self-contained braking unit.

It should be particularly noted that the upward pressure of the pads 54 is determined by the stiffness of the spring plate 50, the length of the link 60, and the relative location of the pivots 63, I! and 6. Consequently the pressure will be uniform every time the brake is applied and does not in any way depend upon the operator, who merely shifts the handle 89 upward and downward between its fixed limits to apply and release the brake.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a spinning or twisting machine having 'a spindle rail" and a pluralityof spindles mounted thereon and each provided with a flanged driving whorl, that improvement which comprises a brake for each spindle having friction elements engaging the top and bottom faces of a whorl flange, manually-operated means to relatively move said elements to apply friction pressure to said flange. and means to automatically determine the amount of friction pressure applied on said flange and to automatically and independ ently maintain said pressure for an indefinite period after manual application thereof.

2. In a spinning or twisting machine having thereon and each provided with a flanged driving whorl, that improvement which comprises a brake for each spindle having friction elements engaging the top and bottom faces of a whorl flange, a spring plate on which certain of said friction elements are mounted, manually operated means to put said spring plate under tension to apply friction pressure to said whorl flange, and means to automatically limit said pressure and to automatically maintain said limited pressure for an indefinite period after manual application thereof.

3. In a spinning or twisting machine having a spindle rail and a plurality of spindles mounted thereon and each provided with a flanged driving whorl, that improvement which comprises a brake for eachspindle having friction elements engaging the top and bottom faces of a whorl flange, a spring plate on which certain of said friction elements are mounted, manually-operated toggle means to put said spring plate under tension to apply friction pressure to said whorl flange, and means to thereafter automatically maintain said toggle in holding position.

4. In a spinning or twisting machine having a spindle rail and a plurality of spindles mounted thereon and each provided with a flanged driving whorl, that improvement which comprises a brake for each spindle having friction elements engaging the top and bottom faces of a whorl flange, a spring plate on which certain of said friction elements are mounted, a manually operated lever, a link connecting said spring plate and lever and forming a toggle with said lever, and a stand fixed to said rail and on which said plate and lever are pivotally mounted.

5. In a spinning or twisting machine having a spindle rail and a plurality of spindles mounted thereon and each provided with a flanged driving whorl, that improvement which comprises a brake for each spindle having friction elements engaging the top and bottom faces of a whorl flange. a spring plate on which certain of said friction elements are mounted, a manually operated lever having a shoulder thereon, a link connecting said spring plate and lever, a stand to pivotally support said plate and lever, and a projection on said link engageable with said shoulder on said lever to determine the inoperative position of the parts. a

6. In a spinning or twisting machine having a spindle rail and a plurality of spindles mounted thereon and each provided with a flanged driving whorl, that improvement which comprises a brake for eachspindle having friction elements engaging the top and bottom faces of a whorl flange, a spring plate on which certain of said friction elements are mounted, a manually operated lever having a shoulder thereon, a link connecting said spring plate and lever, a stand to pivotally support said plate and lever, a projection on said link engageable with said shoulder on said lever to determine the inoperative position of the parts, and a portion of said lever engaging a part of said stand to determine the holding position of said parts. I

O'I'IO W. SCHLUMS. 

